According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 25,000 slip, trip, and fall accidents occur daily, which means accidents happen in the workplace far too often. These incidents can be very dangerous and can cause some serious injury to many people. The health of employees is taken extremely seriously and employers work hard to keep everyone in the company safe. There are plenty of policies and procedures in place to help prevent these accidents from happening, and protocols to follow if they do. But it’s important to not get too used to a routine and become inattentive. There are plenty of things you can do to create extra checks to make sure the workplace is safe and slip, trip, and fall proof.
Here are a few safety tips to implement in the workplace to ensure safety for everyone.
Create Good Housekeeping Practices
To prevent all slips, trips, and falls it is imperative to keep the workplace clean. Having everything put away, in its own place, will prevent things being cluttered and in the way. This goes for equipment as well as any electrical cords or anything else that could be spread out and cause an accident. Designate areas for things to be put away, and keep them there.
Reduce Wet/ Slippery Surfaces
Slips are caused by loss of traction. Although dirt coating the floor often causes slips, so does wet floors. If mopping is done, signs need to be put up to make people aware of the wet floors and to be extra cautious. If there is a spill, take responsibility and clean it up right away. This will reduce the number of people that will come in contact with the spill and risk slipping.
Avoid Creating Obstacles in Aisles and Hallways
This goes right along with creating good housekeeping practices, the more things that pileup in the hallways or aisles just create more things to trip over. If the areas are obstacle free, people can move easily and avoid accidents.
Proper Lighting and Attire
Improper illumination needs to be a concern for all stairways, construction areas, basements, ramps, etc. Everyone needs to be able to see where they are going and what they are doing to avoid accidents. It is also common to require employee uniforms in the workplace, ensure your employees have uniforms that are appropriate and safe for the environment.
Although you can’t prepare for every incident that could take place, it’s important to take the extra steps to help prevent the accidents that might. Safety should be taken seriously, beat the statistics and help stop slips, trips, and falls.